Refrigerator construction



.March 2 1926. 1,574,868

L. G. COPEMAN y REFRIGERATOR CONSTRUCTION Filed Jan.- 17, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet l JNVENTOR.

March 2,1926. 1,574,868

L. G. COPEMAN REFRIGERATORCONSTRUCTION Filed Jan. .17, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

b Patented Mar. 2, 1926.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LLOYD Gr. COPEMlAN, OF FLINT, MICHIGAN@ REFRIGEBATOR CONSTRCTION.

Application iled January 17, 1924. Serial No. 686,883.l

Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Refrigerator Constructions, of which the following is a speci` fication.

This invention relates to a refrigerator construct-ion in which the 'refrigerator is formed of an outer shell and an inner shell formed of castings, preferably of stone, which are suitably secured together.

One object of the present inventionis to provide means for insulating the inner shell from the outer shell the said insulating means also serving to reinforce the refrigerator at points which undergo the greatest strain. Another object is to provide an outer 29 shell having wood frames secured thereto by a novel method which' is well ,adapted to this form of refrigerator construction. The outer shell of the refrigerator is cast directly onto the wood insulatingframe, the casting being mechanically united with the insulating frame so as-to form the outer shell and insulating medium as oneunit.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a verticalv section through a refrigerator constructed in accordance with my invention.

Fig. 2 is a horizontal section taken on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a detail in perspective showing the upper insulating frame.

Fig. 4 is a detail in perspective showing the insulating and reinforcing frame about the food chamber door. I

The refrigerator herein illustrated is what is known as a top icer, comprising an outer shell, a, an inner shell b, and an ice tankfor shell 0.- A hinged ice door al is adapted to .close` the opening e in the top of the refrgeratOr. A wooden frame f is positioned around the opening te, the said frame. f being of such a size as to form the shoulder g when assembled with the outer shell or casting. A

This frame f'has secured thereon, the angle irons h which are provided-with a plurality of holes i. As the cement (preferably oxychloride) is4 oured into the mould thepcement will ow through these openings 'L andsecurely anchor the frame f to the cast ing. This method Iof casting stone on a fibrous material has been described in a vio previous application Serial No. 681,901,`

the method by which the stonework is cast onto the woodframe need not bedescribed 1n detail. It is suiiicient to merely show how the frame is anchored to the casting. A felt strip j is fitted about this opening e and themetal ice tank or shell 0, which is provided with the bead le is adapted to be removably hung on the shoulder; the lower portion of said tank or shellbeing provided with the lower extension m which is adapted. to it into the opening n in the food chamber shell Z).

This inner shell b forms the food chamber and is fitted into the food chamber shell from the back.

The food chamber door -opening 1s surrounded by a wooden frame o,

saidframe having the angles p which anchor the said frame to thecuter shell or casting in the same way las with the angle iron k.

The inner face of this Vframe 0 is grooved as at g for receiving the open end of the food chamber shell. l v

The food chamber shell and outer shell may be removably secured together by any suitable .means and I have chosen to show one simple method by which this may be accomplished. Bosses '7' are cast into theback of the food chamber shell. These bosses have cast therein a tapped bushing s and :i back plate t is fitted into the open back of the-outer shell and screws u secure this to the upper wooden frame f, while screws v screw into the tapped bushings s carried by the food chamber shell. Suitable insulation fw is packed around the food chamber shell and between the ice tank or shell, the outer shell and food chamber shell, for the purpose of suitably insulating the refrigerator parts.

It will be noticed by an examination of Fig. 1 that the wood frame o prevents the inner shell from contacting with the outer shell, and also locates and supports the inner shell at the front. The ice tank is suitably insulated from the outer shell by means -of the upper wood frame f. It is a well u the stonework, and an inner she at least in part by said woodenframe.

opening, the stonework would soon be crushed but the wood frame reinforces this part of the outer shell to such an extent that crushing of the stone is no longer likely by the slamming of the door; likewise the wood frame o reinforces the front of the refrigerator. In addition to strengthening the refrigerator so as to resist impact or other excessive strains, the wooden frames reinforce the refrigerator shell so that the same will resist twisting strainsand the whole becomes a very rigid structure that is not easily broken down.

In a previous application, Serial No. 653,090 I have described how the shells or walls are reinforced by means of a perforated fibre board which is cast within the shells. As this has been described, it 'needs only to be mentioned here as this fibre board, which possesses great tensile strength when used in conjunction with the wooden reinforcing frames, gives the whole refrigerator a strength that is capable of resist-ing twisting strains and sudden hard jars or impacts. These frames serve the double function of reinforcing the refrigerator and insulating the refrigerator parts.

What I claim is:

1. A refrigerator, comprising an outer shell of cast material, a lframe of heat insulat-ing material united .to the cast material, and an inner shell within the outer shell supported at least in part by said frame of insulating material.

2. A refrigerator, having an outer shell of cast stonework, a frame of heat insulating material united therewith by cast-ing, and an inner shell spaced from the outer shell by said frame.

3. Av refrigerator, having an outer shell of stonework, wooden frame s l pported by supported 4.' A refrigerator, having an outer shell of cast stonework, a wooden frame having a reinforcing member cast-united with said outer shell, and an inner shell spaced from the outer shell by said wooden framework.

5.' A refrigerator,`having a cast stonework outer shell, a wooden frame provided with perforated angle irons cast-united with said outer shell, and an inner shell supported at least in part by said wooden frame.

6. A refrigerator, having an outer shell of cast stonework, a vertically arranged frame of heat-insulating material supported on the back of the front of the outer shell,

and a stonework food chamber supported at i its front by abutting up against the said frame. i

7. A refrigerator, comprising an outer shell of stonework, a wooden frame supported on the back of the front of the outer shell, and a horizontally telescopedl stonework inner shell supported at the front by said wooden frame.

8. A refrigerator, having in combination a stonework outer shell, a wooden frame provided with a groove and supported on the back of the front of the outershell, and astonework inner shell having its open end fitting into the groove in the wooden frame and supported thereby.

9. A refrigerator, comprising an outer shell of stoneworkhaving an opening in its top, a frame of heat-insulating material supported below said opening, and an ice tank hung onv said frame.

10. A refrigerator, comprising an outer shell of stonework provided with an opening at the top, a wooden frame surrounding said opening on the underside and castunited with the outer shell, and an ice tank supported by said wooden frame.

In. testimony whereof I have aixed my signature.

LLOYD G. COPEMAN. 

